5. Christ in Leviticus (1) The System of Sacrificial Offerings

5. Christ in Leviticus

 

(1) The System of Sacrificial Offerings

 

Say to the children of Israel: “If any of you wishes to offer a gift to the Lord, he or she must offer an ox or a sheep from among your livestock. If the offering is a burnt offering of an ox, it must be a male without blemish, and he or she must offer it at the entrance of the tabernacle before the Lord, so that it may be accepted by Him.”

Korban (קָרְבַּנְ7133) refers to something ‘brought near’ the altar, that is, a sacrificial ‘offering’: as a sacrifice, offering, consecrated thing, or consecrated object, it would be better to express it as a sacrifice. Riphne (לִפְנֵ֥י), meaning ‘in front,’ refers to words spoken in front of someone’s face.

There were five types of sacrifices that the Israelites offered to God: the burnt offering, the fire offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, and the grain offering. The burnt offering was a sacrifice offered by burning the entire offering. While the priests might eat a portion of the offering or divide it among themselves for others, this was not the case with the burnt offering. The Hebrew word for burnt offering is *olah* (עֹלָ֤ה), which means "to ascend." It signifies burning the offering to raise its fragrance up to God. This carries the meaning of offering oneself completely to God, indicating that this sacrificial ritual was an act of worship.

When the Israelites sinned, they killed animals to offer sacrifices, but they failed to consider that the dead sacrificial animal was themselves. The sacrifice and the sinner had become separate entities. Through the prophet Amos, God declares, "I have never received a sacrifice." Today, worship is defined as singing, praying, preaching, and making offerings through a formal order, but the true meaning of worship is becoming one with the sacrificial animal. It means becoming one with Jesus Christ, who died on the cross. Therefore, dying with Jesus Christ is worship, and we must remember this every day. The Apostle Paul said, "I die daily."

"You shall offer a gift of an ox or a sheep from among your livestock." You must know a lot about oxen and sheep. Oxen and sheep are clean animals that chew the cud and have cloven hooves.

In Leviticus 11:44-45, it says, "I am the LORD your God; I am holy, so you also must be holy and not defile yourselves with any creeping thing that crawls on the ground. I am the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am holy, so you also must be holy."

To be set apart is holiness. Being set apart means being destroyed before God. The reason God emphasized separation (holiness) is that all human beings are unholy beings. In other words, everyone is a sinner. Therefore, the way to escape from sin is to become holy when one is destroyed before God. What is being destroyed? It means that the existence known as "self" must be destroyed before the Word of God.

In the New Testament, the destruction of the old self—the self—means dying with Jesus Christ on the cross. Therefore, those who are united with Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, are beings set apart by God. God commanded the people of Israel to demonstrate their distinction through circumcision. However, the people were performing circumcision merely as a formality, without even understanding its true meaning. Circumcision signifies physical death. Furthermore, it implies waiting for the seed of the future promise (Christ) through physical death. Yet, although the people of Israel waited for the Messiah (Christ), they rejected Christ when He actually came into this world.

In Leviticus chapter 11 as well, distinction was emphasized through animals. The Bible distinguishes between animals that are edible and those that are not. The message is to come to know Christ through these animals. The distinction between clean and unclean animals signifies the distinction between the people of Israel and the Gentiles. Spiritually, it signifies the people of the Kingdom of God and those who are not. Although God chose Israel as the model for all nations, they failed to become the people of the Kingdom of God and ultimately walked the path of destruction. Therefore, the people of the Kingdom of God are not merely the single nation of Israel, but encompass all people who are destroyed before God.

The people of Israel burned bulls when offering sacrifices. Depending on the sinners' ability to earn a living, they also offered sheep, goats, or doves. Many people today try to apply the regulations regarding offerings prescribed by the Old Testament law exactly as they are. That is why they speak of tithing. However, those who are in Christ are freed from the law and live in grace; therefore, they can participate in the work of saving the spirit through offerings, rather than the tithe prescribed by the law. The sacrifice was completely burned. "The priest shall take the whole thing and burn it on the altar as a burnt offering." Being burned signifies one's own destruction before God. Jesus said to deny oneself.

"You shall offer a male without blemish at the entrance of the tabernacle, before the LORD, so that it may be accepted with pleasure." There are four conditions. First, it must be a male without blemish. Through this sacrifice, we can glimpse the devotion of Christ. It was offered as a male without blemish. While "without blemish" refers to a one-year-old animal, 1 Peter 1:19 states, "but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot." If we die with Jesus Christ on the cross and enter into Christ, we too become the lamb offered to God.

The phrase "at the gate of the tabernacle" signifies God's presence during worship in the temple. The temple refers to the temple established within the hearts of believers today, and God's presence signifies Immanuel (Greek: Parousian). The gate is the gateway connecting the world with the Kingdom of God.

In the phrase "before God," the word *liphneh* (לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃)—*liphneh* (~before 6440)—in Yahweh (Jehovah), *liphneh* also means "face." In other words, it means being before God's face (in His presence, facing Him). The saint also becomes Immanuel. Therefore, they face God. To worship God without becoming Immanuel in this way is merely a formality.

 

『Offer it so that it may be acceptable before the Lord at the door of the Tent of Meeting.』 He shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. (kjv)

It is offering one's own voluntary will. Offering one's voluntary will means laying down one's entire self. Therefore, it means dying. It is becoming united with the sacrificial offering. This is a shadow of the substance. The substance is Jesus Christ.